Import Duties on Machined Parts: US, EU, UK & Australia

“How much duty will I pay on these parts?” is one of the most-searched questions in cross-border sourcing, and also one of the most dangerous to answer with a number. Duty rates change — sometimes month to month — and they depend on the exact classification of your specific part. So this guide deliberately quotes no rates. Instead it shows you the three things that actually determine your duty, and exactly which official tool to use for the US, EU, UK, and Australia, so you can find the current, correct figure yourself and confirm it with a broker.

We are a manufacturer, not a customs broker, and we will say that more than once because it matters: we can describe how the system works and provide accurate paperwork for your parts, but the classification and the duty owed are between you, the official tariff, and your broker.

The quick answer: what determines your duty

Three inputs, in this order:

1. Classification (HS/HTS code). Every product has a Harmonized System code. The first six digits are international; countries add more digits of their own. The code decides the base duty rate, so getting it right is the whole game. Machined metal parts commonly fall under headings for articles of iron or steel (Ch. 73), aluminium (Ch. 76), or as parts of machinery (Ch. 84/85) — but the correct code depends on the part’s material, function, and finish.
2. Customs value. Duty is charged as a percentage of a declared value, usually based on the transaction value of the goods. How freight and insurance are treated depends on the country and the Incoterm — which is one more reason the Incoterm you choose matters.
3. Country of import and its rules. The same part can carry different duty in the US, EU, UK, and Australia, and additional measures (trade remedies, safeguards, or preferential rates under a free-trade agreement) can raise or lower it.

Your supplier does not set any of these, and no Incoterm changes them — DDP just means the seller pays the duty and prices it in. The duty is a function of the part and the border, full stop.

Where to find your duty, by country

Use the official tool for the importing country. These are the authoritative sources; anything else (including this article) is secondary.

United States

Look up your HTS code in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (USITC). Be aware that goods of Chinese origin may carry additional Section 301 duties on top of the base rate, and that product exclusions are sometimes available through the USTR process. For rulings on how a specific part should be classified, US Customs and Border Protection runs the CROSS ruling database. Confirm the all-in rate with a licensed customs broker.

European Union

Use TARIC, the EU’s integrated tariff, to find the rate and any measures for your commodity code. To import into the EU you need an EORI number. EU buyers of steel and aluminium should also check whether the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) applies to their parts, as it adds a separate reporting and certificate obligation from 2026.

United Kingdom

Since Brexit the UK maintains its own schedule — use the UK Trade Tariff to look up commodity codes and duty. The rate and rules can differ from the EU’s for the same part, so do not assume they match.

Australia

Check the Australian Border Force Working Tariff. The China–Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) provides preferential rates on many goods when the correct certificate of origin accompanies the shipment, so it is worth checking whether your part qualifies.

Official tariff tools at a glance

Whichever country you import into, the pattern is the same: find the code, check for extra measures, confirm with a broker. Here is the by-country summary.

Every rate in that tool is the live figure; a blog cannot be. Treat this table as a map to the source, then confirm the number with a customs broker.

How to estimate duty before you order — step by step

1. Describe the part precisely: material, function, and finish. Classification hinges on these.
2. Find a candidate HS/HTS code in the official tool for your country using that description.
3. Check for additional measures: for the US, whether Section 301 applies to the code; for others, any trade remedies or FTA preferences.
4. Estimate the customs value the way your country calculates it, mindful of how your Incoterm treats freight and insurance.
5. Confirm with a licensed customs broker before you commit. A broker will verify the classification and give you the current all-in rate — the step that protects you.
6. Fold the confirmed duty into your total landed cost so you are comparing suppliers on the real number.

Common mistakes

Trusting a duty rate from a blog or forum. Rates change and depend on your exact classification. Always verify against the official tool and a broker — that is the entire reason this article names the tools instead of quoting numbers.

Guessing the HS code. The wrong code means the wrong duty and possible penalties on entry. When in doubt, get a broker’s classification or a customs ruling.

Thinking DDP means duty-free. It does not. Under DDP the seller pays the duty and builds it into the price; you still bear it. See Incoterms for custom parts.

Forgetting FTA origin paperwork. Preferential rates (like ChAFTA for Australia) usually require a valid certificate of origin. Without the document, you pay the standard rate.

Ignoring the compliance layer. For US imports of aluminium and steel, forced-labor due-diligence documentation is increasingly requested at the border; see UFLPA traceability documentation. It is separate from duty but can hold up a shipment just as effectively.

Frequently asked questions

When you request a quote from us, we provide accurate material, process, and country-of-origin information for your parts so your broker can classify them correctly — and we can quote on the Incoterm that keeps you in control of the customs step. Send your CAD on our request-a-quote page for a response within 12 hours. For the bigger picture of how duty fits the whole cost of importing, read is China still cheaper after tariffs and total landed cost of imported CNC parts.